


Until the end -My picket fence book 4- [On Hiatus]

by tay_tay19



Series: My picket fence [4]
Category: Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Car Accidents, Cheating, Divorce, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-04 15:04:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3072356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tay_tay19/pseuds/tay_tay19
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We are perfect for each other. Jackson says that we're soulmates. Meant to be together until the end of time. If that's all true. then how am I supposed to go on without him. Why did he try to leave me even after he promised to be with me. Maybe he took til death do we part a little to seriously...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A note from Jackson

**Author's Note:**

> **Hey guys as much as I hate to do this I think I'm going to put this story on indefinite hiatus. I've got it all planned out but I'm struggling to find the motivation to work on it at all. There's a good chance I might scrap what i have and go with a different idea i had for it but I'm not sure yet. I'm really really sorry please don't hate me! ******

Life was never simple for me. It's never simple for anyone. Rich or poor, there are always people who will make your life a challenge. I'll admit. I was privileged, I never wanted for anything material as a child. Games, toys, food, a huge yard for me to play in with all the friends that my parents practically bought for me as well. They're employees kids who were told very strictly to do whatever they could to please me. Back then all I wanted was to please my parents. I did everything they told me to. Dressed the way they wanted did my homework and never complained. It wasn't until I was thirteen that I realized they would never tell me they loved me. I could try and try but they were incapable of loving. I was done trying.

Everything changed after that. I stopped caring. Stopped trying. I didn't need to please anyone but myself. My grades went down. My attendance was almost non existant. My life was falling down around me as I fell in with the wrong crowd. But I was happy. I felt so free. For the first time in my entire life I was truly and undoubtedly Jackson Brendon Urie, and I was in falling in love with another boy. A boy that saw me. The real me through everything that my parents had tried to make me be. A boy that wasn't afraid to show his love for me. He hadn't said it out loud then. We'd never kissed or hugged. But I knew. I saw it in his eyes as he gazed at me. I saw it in the smile he saved only for me. He was mine and I was his. Forever and always. I knew that one day this boy would be my husband. This boy would be my whole world and it would be as though my past never existed.


	2. When our eyes met

Dallon wasn’t much to look at his freshman year of high school. He’d had a growth spurt over the summer that made him look glangly, he constantly tripped over his own feet and he never knew what to do with his hair, it constantly looked greasy and stuck out in certain spots. It was too long, his mother reminded him each time she caught him flipping it out of his eyes, often causing his newly acquired glasses to fly off his face.

He’d never been one of the popular kids, He’d often scare off new people when he began to ramble on and on about bands the didn’t care for and his dreams of learning guitar and oining a band. He didn’t really care much. He had a close set of friends in middle school. But this wasn’t his small town school in Utah anymore. This was an intercity high school in a place where he knew no one. The sudden news of his father’s transfer had rocked his whole family. With barely a months’ notice they packed up their life, left their dog with his grandparents and moved to a small city apartment. This devastated the awkward young man and he now dreaded his first day of school much more than he ever had.

When his mom’s beat up minivan stopped in the long line of drop offs Dallon eyed the cold brick building before him with disdain. He contemplated resorting to crocodile tears to convince his mother to drive away as fast as she could.

“I know you aren’t looking forward to this” the understatement of the year, “but this will be good for you Dallon. Just think of all the great friends you’ll be able to make” It took a lot of energy to plaster an obviously fake smile on his face but he managed it. “I’m sure” He lied to her. The only thing he was sure of was that this was the cruelest thing they could have done. He had pleaded with them to let him stay in Utah with his grandparents. At least he could have started high school with Matt and Drew.

Dallon scurried out of the car before his mother had a chance to do something mortifyingly embarrassing like kiss his cheek. He slung his beat up backpack over his shoulder and made his way into the school.

Jackson was a different story. He had always been attractive since the day he was born people admired him. He knew it to. He’d learned early on that all he had to do was bat his eyes and flash an innocent smile and he could get away with anything. He had charisma and a confidence not normall found in boys his age. A devil with an angel’s smile, he’d once heard his mother tell her book club. Jackson like to test his limits and push at boundarys. He loved to rile people up and watch them become flustered as he kept cool. He liked to think of it as a special skill, one he had been born with.

In school people were drawn to him,, his easy going attitude put people at ease. He surrounded himself with so many friends that he often found it hard to remember names. He had parents that were well off. An extremely large house in a gated community and all the latest gadgets.

Like always his father dropped him off at school in his Mercedes just a few minutes before the bell rang. He wasn’t nervous about his first day of school. Sure he was a freshman and no longer king of the castle, but he knew it was only a matter of time.He strode into the school with his head held high, giving a little nod whenever someone shouted out his name of gave him a wave. It felt good to be surrounded by people that loved him again.

Dallon knelt in front of his locker and let out a frustrated groan as the combination he was given once again failed to work. It was doing nothing to help his nerves. He really didn’t want to be here and the urge to make a run for the exit was beginning to grow with each passing minute. He considered the possibility of trying to hitch hike back to Utah but decided against it. After all anyone could be an axe murderer, you just never know.

He tried once again to open the locker in vain and dropped his head against the cool metal in defeat. He didn’t want to have to carry his belongings around with him all day. “You do know that’s not your locker right” The voice suddenly speaking to him startled Dallon and made him leap to his feet. Ackson cocked an eyebrow at the startled boy and waited for him to speak. Dallon kept his eyes glued to the grey linoleum as he willed his mouth to move.

“Are you mute or something?” The shorter boy teased.

“No… Sorr…. I thought” Dallon decided it was rude not to make eye contact. So he looked into Jackson’s eyes.

It was as though all the air had suddenly been sucked out of his lungs and his brain had been melted as he gazed into Jackson’s startlingly green eyes. He wasn’t sure what had just happened but Dallon felt different. His heart rate quickened and warmth spread through his body.

“Locker forty nine is mine” Jackson said, his normally confident voice wavered slightly as he spoke. Something about this other boy made him feel weird and he didn’t like it.

“Oh! Sorry’ Dallon said scurrying out of the way. He watched Jackson open the locker with ease before setting his bag down and rifling through it for the paper with his locker information on it. Jackson shrugged off his black leather jacket and shoved it into the locker with his backpack. Dallon’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he read that his locker was actually forty eight, the locker to the left of the other boys. Dallon wasn’t sure why he was happy their lockers were next to each other. “I’m Dallon” He said just before Jackson walked away. “Jackson” came the reply. Jackson didn’t look back at the awkward young man. He wanted to quickl get away in the hopes that the lump in his stomach would soon disappear. He made a mental note to try and avoid Dallon as much as he could.

Everything changed that day. The two boys didn’t know it yet, but the moment their eyes met their fates became intertwined. From now until the end of time.


	3. When I hurt

                Dallon’s first eight years of school had been fairly easy. He managed to slip under the radar of the bullies, his grades were above average and he had a few good friends. His family’s home was nice; they had an above ground pool that he spent his summers playing in. His parents let him turn the basement into a hangout area where he’d stay up late at night with Drew watching horror movies his parents would never have approved of.

                It was in that room, in the early hours of a Saturday morning, saw played on the screen as the two boys sat side by side with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders. Something was different though. Dallon was hyper aware of the boy next to him. The way he nervously bit at his lip, the way their legs pressed together beneath the blanket. This wasn’t unusual for them so Dallon couldn’t understand why it felt like it was. Why he couldn’t focus on the movie, why his eyes kept darting between the screen and Drew’s lips.

                He knew those thoughts were wrong. He knew that being gay was a sin. He let the blanket drop from his shoulder and went to the mini-fridge to get another Capri sun. He jabbed the straw in and let his gaze drift back to Drew. He knew it was wrong, but he wondered how Drew’s lips tasted.

                That night, as they lay side by side on the floor Dallon waited until Drew’s breathing turned shallow and he was positive the other boy was sound asleep. He leaned over and pressed his lips against his best friends. It was wrong but it didn’t feel that way to him. As the early morning sun began to trickle in through the curtains of his bedroom Dallon discovered he was gay.

                He tried to ignore these feelings but every now and then he found himself watching attractive boys from a distance. After the stolen kiss he never acted on those feelings. It was hard but he made sure no one would ever know. That’s why it scared him so much when IT began.

                “Watch it fag” A senior mumbled as he shoved Dallon into the lockers on his way to class. He stood there in shock for a moment. How did he know? Had Dallon done something to give himself away? He was always so careful, He made sure no one ever caught him staring and he hadn’t even talked to anyone at his new school since his first day a few weeks ago. There was no way this random senior he had never even met before could know how true his words had been.

                Dallon rushed to the bathroom and locked himself in a stall. He tried to reassure himself that it was just a random insult. The other boy had no way of knowing how right his words were. Dallon remained in the stall for a few minutes to calm him, ignoring the bell as it rang and not really caring if he was late for class.

                He was just about to leave the stall when the bathroom door opened with a bang and what sounded like at least three guys entered. They spoke loudly as they stood against the far wall. Dallon heard the flick of a lighter and the smell of cigarette smoke soon permeated the air. Dallon knew how bad second hand smoke could be and had no wish to stick around to get cancer. He flushed the toilet and waited a second before he left the stall and stepped up to the sink to wash his hands. He could feel their eyes on him and for some reason he felt scared.

                “What the hell do you think you’re doing in here?” One of them snarled at him.

                “I was… I had to use the bathroom” He said confused. Why were they so mad? He wasn’t going to tell anyone they were in there smoking.

                “Don’t you dare rat us out” The boy said giving Dallon a rough shove to his shoulders. Dallon stumbled back tripping over his feet and fell to the ground. The guys all stood there and laughed at him. He tried to rush out the door but the same guy grabbed his shirt and pulled him backwards making him fall into the wall. Dallon winced as his head hit the cement.

                “This is our spot got it” The guy growled pressing his forearm against Dallon’s neck. Dallon struggled to get free gasping for air and trying to push the arm away, but the older boy was too big, Dallon didn’t stand a chance.

                “Look at him squirm” One of the others laughed. Dallon can feel the tears threatening to spill out of his eyes.

                “Fucking cry baby. I’ll give you something to cry about” The guy pulled his fist back and punched Dallon in the stomach making him fall to his hands and knees coughing. He feels like he’s going to be sick. He doesn’t get it. What did he do to make them so mad, why are they hurting him? One of them kicks his side making him fall onto the dirty bathroom floor.

                “Get lost” One of them orders. Dallon manages to get to his feet and stumbles out of the bathroom. He’s not sure where to go. He makes his way down the hall clutching his stomach and trying to stop the tears from running down his face. He decides to leave the school and goes to his locker. He’s almost made it when the pain becomes too much. He leans against the lockers and slides down to the ground. He feels sick.

                “Are you alright?” A voice asks. Dallon raises his eyes and sees his locker mate standing before him. Their eyes meet and despite the pain a warm feeling forms inside him. He doesn’t trust his voice so he just shakes his head.

                “I’m going to get a teacher okay” Jackson tells him. Fear grips Dallon and he shakes his head vigorously. He doesn’t want to get hurt again. Jackson kneels next to him and places a hand gently on his shoulder. “You look like shit dude. You don’t have to tell what happened but you should get out of here. Now stay still I’ll be back soon” He promises before running off down the hall. Dallon watches his retreating form and misses the warmth his presence had created. He hates this new school. He hates this city. He hates the tiny apartment he has to return home to. Dallon wishes he could go back in time.


	4. When you were the star

      Jackson sits on the bleachers his shirt plastered to his skin with sweat as the burning sun shone down on the group of teens gathered there. He didn't even really want to be here, he didn't like baseball. He hadn't since he was young, but its what was expected of him. His parents had pulled strings to get the school board to let him enroll in this school even though he lived way outside the schools zone because it had the 'best' baseball team in the district. Jackson was good at baseball but by his tenth birthday the constant pressure from his parents had all but crushes the boys love for the game. He tried not to roll his eyes as the coach stood before them yelling at them for their poor performance. It was only the third practice of the season and he already expected them to be as good as the team had been the year before.

       Baseball wasn't something that Jackson wanted to continue. He hated how crazed it made his father, hated the five am runs, the carefully regulated diet and the constant hours spent in the batting cages.What Jackson was really passionate about was music. Every chance he got he spent hours in his families rarely used music room, his fingers gliding over the cool ivory keys of the antique grand piano his mother had won in an auction when he was four. His father allowed him to take piano lessons but when the naive little boy mentioned he liked the instrument more that baseball his father decided that it was a waste of time. He continued to play after that making sure to remember what he had been taught and attempting to teach himself. 

       His father always scolded him when he got caught. He'd always tell Jackson the same thing. 'There's no future for you in music. You'll end up a nobody working in a Starbucks and sharing a dirty flat with three other 'Dudes'. It made Jackson want to laugh in his face. He was good at baseball sure but he had no chance at ever making it in the major leagues. He didn't have a killer arm or a good ratings. He was just average, just barely getting by. Surely his father had to realize that. 

       Occasionally Jackson let himself daydream. He'd image the look on his fathers face as he dropped his bat in the middle of the most important game of the year and walked away from the sport forever. He imagined running away from home and living his life the way he wanted to. He dreamed of getting himself proper music lessons and getting accepted to Julliard, playing in  Carnegie hall in front of thousands of people who loved the music he made. But he knows better than to let himself get to caught up in the dreams. He knows that it will never be a reality for him. He knows that he will never be able to stand up to his parents. He isn't strong enough.

       Jackson takes his cap off his head and wipes the sweat from his brow as the team is dismissed to the locker rooms. Their first game is coming up soon and the coach has decided they need a shit ton more practice before they are ready. Jackson doesn't know why he cares so much. Its not an official game. Just a 'friendly' match between the neighboring school, but of course that doesn't matter. No one will be getting any breaks. He wonders how they can be expected to get good grades when so much of their time is spent on the field or getting in extra practices. Actually he really wonders how he's going to get any sleep. He'll have to wake up an hour earlier just to get all his homework done at this rate. He's not going to have any times for friends let alone for Breezy. Of course if he really thinks about it he wouldn't mind letting his grades suffer. 

       Maybe he'll be lucky and get kicked off the team. Then he'd have times to spend with his amazing new girlfriend. He thinks about how amazing Breezy is, he's sure his parents would approve of the girl. He wonders whether or not he should ask her to come to church with his family on Sunday as he enters the locker room and manages to snag a shower before they're all taken. He'll have to skip the practice that the coach as scheduled for that day. 

       As much as his parents want to force baseball on him they would never let it get in the way of their religion. Honestly Jackson is starting to think the whole thing is pretty ridiculous. He doesn't understand how his parents can be the awfully judgmental people they are and yet still sit their and say they're good people because they sit in a room full of equally judgmental people for three hours once a week. Of course his parents would probably try to exorcise him or something if he ever told them how he felt.

       The water runs col quickly but the teen doesn't really mind, he's grown used to the crappy school showers and with how overheated his body feels he's sure that the cold is helping him. He stays in even after his teammates leave. He gets along with people really well normally. He's never had a real fight with anyone or actually met anyone he couldn't charm. But there are some days when he just can't. Some days it takes all his energy just to keep the smile on his face and by the time he gets home he's mentally and physically exhausted. He just wants to lock himself in his room and curl up under the blankets but his parents wouldn't allow that. 

       He turns the water off when his fingers start to prune and dries off with the coarse towel from his locker that he should probably bring home and wash. He takes his time getting dresses as well knowing that there is no reason for him to rush. He doesn't have the energy to socialize with his teammates and his parents will probably just send a car to pick him up. They're eager for him to turn sixteen so they can get him a car of his own and not have to trouble themselves with it. He'll probably end up driving his sisters around too. His dad already has him taking driving lessons even though he's only just turned fourteen and can't legally get his permit until next year. He debates whether or not to dry his hair and decides that it really doesn't make much sense so he just throws everything into his gym locker and heads to the payphones at the front of the school.

***

Dallon  sits on the steps at the front of the school battered and bruised. He had fallen asleep in math class today and gotten a detention, his first ever, which unfortunately for him meant that he was still around when the baseball teams practice had ended. They had cornered him in the schools courtyard and pushed him around shouting names at him. His glasses had gotten cracked and now one of his notebooks was forever lost on the roof of the school, and as if they hadn't humiliated and injured him enough the ended their torment by throwing him into the cafeteria dumpster.

       He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he got home. He had managed to lie to his parents about the detention, telling them that he was going to hang out with some friends. He hated lying to them like that, especially when he heard how excited his mom had been that he'd made a friend. He had no idea how he was going to explain the current state he was in, or why he now needed new glasses and a new notebook for English. The whole situation made him want to breakdown and cry but he knew he couldn't do that. He couldn't give those bullies the satisfaction of his tears.

       The sound of the door behind him opening causes him to leap to his feet and turn quickly fearing that whoever it was that had exited the building would want to hurt him more. His eyes meet Jacksons and both boys freeze.  Dallon  isn't sure how to react, Jackson is a baseball player, he's the same as the boys that had beat him just minutes ago. He wants to run but something keeps him rooted in place. He remembers how kind Jackson was to him when he had found him beaten. He remembers him telling off the nurse and the vice principal for asking  Dallon  so many questions when he was clearly in a lot of pain.

       "Wow" Jackson says after a moment, breaking away from the other boys mesmerizing gaze. "You look like crap" There's a joking tone to Jackson's voice and  Dallon  decides its okay to relax. He returns to sitting on the step and trying not to think about how much his body is going to ache tomorrow. To his surprise Jackson sits next to him and drops his backpack onto the ground between their feet. "It's still happening to you huh? Who did it this time?" Jackson seems genuinely concerned about him but  Dallon  can't really seem to figure out why he would be. He's sure that he would treat him differently if he knew that the baseball team had now decided  Dallon  was their new punching bag.  Dallon  just shrugs his shoulders instead of answering. He knows its stupid but he finds Jackson's presence comforting and he's really doesn't want to continue sitting here alone.

       "You forget how to talk?" Jackson asks, playfully nudging his shoulder.  Dallon  pretends it doesn’t hurt.

       "No... Just nothing to say"  Dallon  mumbles in reply. He decides that the only reason Jackson is talking to him is because he wants  Dallon  to fawn over him and give him the attention he's used to while he waits for his parents to pick him up or something.  Dallon  was definitely not going to lower himself to do that.

       "You smell like rotten tomatoes" Jackson tells him, as if  Dallon  didn't already know that.

       "Spaghetti day..."  Dallon  shrugs.

       "Sucks dude" Jackson looks at the ground and the two teens sit in a comfortable silence for the next couple minutes, neither of them having the energy to talk or feeling the need to say anything. Jackson finds it strange. He's so used to struggling to keep conversations alive that he keeps coming up with a million things to try and start a conversation but he can tell by the look on the younger boys face that he isn't up to it. 

       After some time a black town car pulls to a stop in front of them and Jackson gets to his feet tossing his bag over his shoulder and bounding down the steps. He gets to the car and puts his hand on the door handle. A thought comes to his mind and he turns around to look at  Dallon . The other teen looks like the epitome of depression and Jackson feels back leaving him there like this. "Are you waiting for a ride?" He asks. The sound of his voice startles  Dallon  and he looks up meeting Jackson's gaze.

       "No... not really" 

       "Do you want a ride?" Jackson asks. He's not to eager to sit in a car seeing how badly  Dallon  smells at the moment but he's willing to deal with it if it helps to bring a smile back to his face. Jackson tries not to think to hard about  Dallon's  smile, not that it works.

       "No, not really"  Dallon  repeats. He stands up and walks down the steps before heading off down the road. Jackson watches his retreating form for a moment before getting into the car and telling the driver to bring him home.

***

       The game seems to come up all to quickly. Jackson isn't all to eager about it as he sits on a bench in the locker room listening to the coach give what was meant to be an inspirational speech, which was more of a you better win or else speech. He cheers with his teammates and heads out to the diamond with them a big smile on his face. He sees his father sitting in the bleachers with his arms crossed and a baseball cap shielding his eyes from view. Jackson doesn't need to be able to see them to know that he's watching his son with a disapproving look, he can feel it. Jackson's mom always makes a point of encouraging him to continue with the sport but its been years since he's seen her at a game that has no importance.

        Jackson doesn't really care. In fact his mind is barely even on the game. This morning he managed to sneak in a few minutes on the piano and he was more focused on trying to remember the lovely tune he had come up with. Perhaps that’s why six innings into the game they were losing. The coach yells at him to get his head in the game. He's missed easy catches and his batting had been way below average. Jackson could practically feel his Fathers anger radiating off the bleachers. Instead of paying attention to the coach Jackson lets his eyes wander over the rest of the people who have come to enjoy the game and he's shocked to see Breezy sitting in the front row with a few other girls from their class. A huge smile spreads across Jackson's face and he waves at his girlfriend. He's embarrassed that she saw him playing so badly and decides to spend the rest of the game playing his best.

       It's near the end of the last inning. The bases are full and Jackson is up to bat. He can hear his teammates cheering for him and he's feeling a bit nervous. He knows how angry his father will be if he doesn't do well. He'll probably make him run until he pukes again, or sell the piano like he's threatened to do for years. Jackson takes a deep breath as he approaches the plate and prepares himself. He can win this game. His coach will be proud of him, his teammates will be proud of him, Breezy will think he's cool, and most importantly maybe just maybe his dad will be proud of him for once. The pitcher throws a fast ball and almost without thinking Jackson swings the bat. The two connect and a crack resounds through the air as the ball sails across the field landing just beyond the fence. Jackson stares in amazement for a moment before he begins to run the bases the cheers from the crowd egging him on. He crosses home and his team surrounds him patting him on the back and high fiving him. Breezy stands and claps for him and it brings a blush to Jackson's cheeks. After allowing himself to enjoy the moment for a few minutes he turns his gaze to his father and sees his usual emotionless expression. Jackson's heart falls. Once again his best wasn’t good enough for his father.


	5. When you saved me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Hey everyone. Thanks for being patient with me while I get these chapters out. I'm debating how long exactly I'm going to make this story. Right now I've got like ten chapters planned for each year of high school for them but I may try to cut that down to like five per year. Let me know what you guys think okay! and thank you to everyone who's been reading this series it really means a lot to me you guys! ******

        Everyone at the school was talking about the game. Jackson never really understood why. Its not like it was an important game. It didn't even mean anything yet everyone kept congratulating him. He guessed that it had something to do with the fact that everyone actually knew him. Sure a few guys on the team were popular but its not like they were the football players or anything. But even the upperclassmen would admit that they thought Jackson was pretty cool. Jackson got to school a bit early that morning. His dad had to go to a meeting and decided that he could drop Jackson off and he could run laps or something. Which definitely wasn't going to happen. 

 

        Jackson climbed out of his dad's car and slung his bag over his shoulders before making his way into the empty building. It always gave him the creeps to be in school when no one else was there. It felt like a ghost town or some creepy haunted house or something. He was surprised when he reached his locker to see that he wasn't the only kid on campus this early.  Dallon  sat against his own locker an old pair of headphones in his ears and a comic book on his lap. Jackson isn't sure what to do. He's done his best to avoid  Dallon  and the weird vibe that the guy gave him but he kept finding himself alone with him. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he debated whether or not to turn and leave before the other teen noticed him when  Dallon  spoke up. 

       "I don't care what you do"  Dallon  said. "It's not like I'm expecting you to talk to me."

       "No its not that... I'm just surprised to see someone else here this early" Jackson went over to his locker and opened it up tossing his backpack inside. He had no idea what he was going to do until school started.

       "My mom has to go into work early"  Dallon  explained not taking his eyes off the book on his lap. Jackson considered asking what he was reading but in all honesty he wasn't that into comic books and he really didn't feel like pretending to be. He was saved from having to come up with some excuse when  dallon  took out his cassette player and turned the volume up loud enough for Jackson to hear. Which in hindsight was probably bad for him. Jackson stuffed his belongings into the locker and decided to waste some time wandering the halls of the school. He gives  Dallon  a nod that the other boy doesn't notice before heading off down the hall.

 

       On a whim he heads to the arts building and stops outside the door of the music room. Sometimes if the teacher was in he would let Jackson in to mess around on the piano. The quality wasn't as good as the piano at home but Jackson still found it relaxing especially since he wasn't to worried that he would hit the keys to hard. Before school started he had made the mistake of suggesting he take music as an elective this year. Told his dad that it would look good on his transcript. His dad had just laughed it off and told him to get ready for the batting cages. 

       He approached the music room door and was disappointed to find the door locked and the lights inside off. The music teacher had yet to arrive. Jackson let out a sigh and began to wander the halls of the school once again letting himself daydream once again. He was surprised when his thoughts turned to the boy sitting against his locker all alone. He found himself wondering if the boy sat there alone every day. He wondered if he had any friends. After all Jackson had never seen him even talking to anybody else. Not that Jackson made a point to search for him in the crowds or tried to find where he sat at lunch. Jackson had no reason to care about the boy and definitely shouldn't feel anything when he sees the bruises on his arms or face. 

       Against his better judgment Jackson decides to head back to their lockers and maybe try to start up a conversation with the boy. After all its not like he really had anything against him other that the strange feeling in his gut he got from looking into the boys bright blue eyes for to long. He prided himself on not judging people by their social statuses and nobody would find anything suspicious about them talking. Maybe  Dallon  was a really cool guy, Jackson just had to get to know him.

       Jackson definitely didn't feel disappointed when he got back to his locker and discovered that  Dallon  was no longer there.

\---

Dallon  squeezes his eyes shut and tries to withstand the pain being inflicted on him. A fist connects with his cheek and he hears his glasses hit the ground with a crunch. A crowd gathers around cheering on the vicious onslaught against the defenseless boy.  Dallon  struggles to stay on his feet, his arms raised to shield himself as best he can. He wont give in. He wont show his weaknesses. He'll take his beating and maybe just maybe they'll get tired of him. Maybe they wont discover how much of a crybaby he actually is. 

       He almost blames himself for this beating. Today had been to good of a day for him. His food had made it to lunch without being ruined in some way and he'd actually been able to find a spot to eat where no one had bothered him. He's pretty sure he made a friend today and maybe because of how happy it had made him the bullies had decided he needed to be knocked back into his place. He's sure that news of this would get back to the boy he had talked to today in class and he'd avoid him from now on not wanting to get caught up in his misfortune. It's a shame really. Andy seemed like a really interesting guy and they had spent most of  english  class passing notes about their favorite comics.

Dallon  wondered if  andy  would still hold up on his promise to show him a local comic shop that he promised was totally rad. He wondered if Andy liked any of the same bands as him. He let his mind jump from subject to subject trying to focus on anything but the insults and the punches being hurled at him.

       Everything appeared to be spinning now and black spots had begun to cloud his vision.  Dallon  should have known better than to wander near the gym. He should have known the baseball player would e looking for someone to beat. After all he had almost caused his team to lose. From what  Dallon  understood, Which wasn't much when it involved sports of any kind, the only reason his actions hadn't lost them the game was because Jackson saved the team with his home run. He wonders if maybe he should research the rules of baseball.

Dallon  is jolted from his thoughts suddenly as he's shoved into a wall and his head collides with the bricks. He crumples to the ground no longer able to support himself, where the hell is an adult when he needs one. The baseball player, who's name  Dallon  can't quite recall accept that his jersey says Hall, grips  Dallon's  shirt and pulls him up onto his knees pulling back his arm preparing another punch.  Dallon  squeezes his eyes shut and braces himself as best he can in his current battered state.

       "What the hell is your problem!"  Dallon's  shirt is released and he slumps back to the ground. He opens one eye, the other seemingly swollen shut. Jackson stands between the teens glaring at his teammate defiantly. Why the hell is he beating on  Dallon . Jackson isn't sure why but he feels incredibly protective of  Dallon  all of a sudden. He saw his 'friend' beating on  Dallon  and all he wanted to do was make him sorry he ever laid a hand on the younger boy.

       "Out of the way  Urie " The baseball player threatens stepping up to Jackson. He comes up a few inches shorter and his attempt at intimidating Jackson fails as he's shoved back. "Fuck off Greg" Jackson spits at him.

 

      "Why the hell are you protecting this nerd?"

       "Why the hell are you beating him? What's he ever done to you?"

       "Just but out  Urie "

       "Bite me" Jackson says before turning around and helping  Dallon  to his feet.  Dallon  leans his full weight onto the taller boy unable to help it. "You okay?" he ask.  Dallon  just shook his head unable to do anything else. "Stop gawking" Jackson yells at the crowd. It pisses him off that all these people just stood around doing nothing while an innocent kid got beat. A small figure pushes his way through the crowd and joins the two boys. 

       "Andy?"  Dallon  mumbles as his head falls forward. Andy nods his wavy brown hair falling in his face as he and Jackson half carry half drag  Dallon  out of the courtyard. Jackson glances at  Dallon  and knows that this time he can't stay quiet. There was no reason for this abuse and there is no way Jackson can even imagine continuing to play on the same team as Greg. The two boys manage to get  Dallon  into the nurses office and lay him down on the bed. Jackson sits in a chair while Andy goes to find the nurse, apparently she's his mom. 

       " Dallon ?" Jackson says quietly, surprised he actually remembers his name, then again he has found himself thinking about him a lot as of late. Something about this scrawny teen intrigues Jackson. He finds himself wanting to get to know him better?

       "What?"  Dallon  asks his voice giving away the pain he's feeling. 

       "You have to tell this time okay. Greg needs to get in trouble"  Dallon  tries to shake his head and cries out in pain. Not even thinking about it Jackson leans forward and places a hand lightly on  Dallon's  shoulder. "It's alright  Dallon  okay. You'll be alright" 

      Nurse Hurley comes in then. She shoos Jackson away from the bed and sets to work trying to make  Dallon  more comfortable. Jackson lingers in the doorway not wanting to leave just yet. Andy pops up besides him and peeks into the room nervously. Jackson doesn't know much about Andy, he's seen him around of course the short boy is a drummer in the marching band. Jackson always thought it kind of funny to see him wearing the big drums and is surprised he doesn't topple over. He thinks Andy might also be in the comic book club or something but he's not sure. He's never actually talked to the kid before. Nurse Hurley finished up and stepped back looking over the beaten teen with sad eyes. She asked for a number for his parents but he didn't answer.

       " Dallon  you should tell her. Really it will be okay" Andy pipes up. Jackson watches  Dallon  closely, noting the way his hands grip the sheets tightly and tears spill down his cheeks. He's going to be hurting for a long time. Eventually with nurse Hurley and Andy's encouragement they are able to convince  Dallon  to give up his number and Nurse Hurley leaves the room to make the call. 

Dallon  lays as still as he can in the bed feeling defeated. He hates this school, he hates this city, he hates that he can't stop crying in front of these people and he hates how pathetic he must look to Jackson. He wishes that he could disappear.  

       Jackson can't stand seeing  Dallon  like this. Doesn't he know that Greg deserves to be punished for hurting him. He goes into the room and sits back in his chair beside the bed. He feels awkward and out of place. He knows that he doesn't deserve to be sitting here with him. He knows that  Dallon  isn't his friend. He saw what was happening to him and until now he did nothing. But when he saw a boy that he actually considered a friend, a boy who he'd gone to  sunday  school with since they were in diapers, why did he want to harm him for harming the other boy. He didn't quite understand. 

Dallon  observed Jackson with tired eyes. He wanted to play it off. He didn't want to look pathetic in front of someone as cool as Jackson. He didn't like the way him and Andy looked at him with pity. He didn't want pity he wanted friends. He wanted his mom, he wanted his friends, he wanted everything to go back to the way it once was. He almost wished that Jackson had just let him be. Had just let him get beaten to death. Almost. But he didn't want to die. He just wanted things to get better. Andy seemed to still want to be his friend. Maybe they would be alright. Maybe things could get better. Everyone saw Jackson defend him after all, right? Maybe they would leave him alone because they wanted to stay on Jacksons good side.  Dallon  closed his eyes as he felt sleep engulf him. Maybe, just maybe it would all be okay.


End file.
